Helicopter crashes into earthquake survivors in Mexico, killing 13

By Kate Linthicum

18 February 2018 — 7:52am

After a powerful earthquake struck Mexico Friday afternoon local time, survivors near the quake's epicenter gathered in a field, planning to spend the night sleeping under the stars or in vehicles instead of in damaged homes vulnerable to aftershocks.

And then, a second crisis hit. This time, it fell from the sky.

A military helicopter carrying officials assessing quake damage was about to land nearby when the pilot lost control. A few seconds later, it crashed to the earth - directly onto several vehicles packed with survivors.

Navarrete told a local journalist that the pilot of the Blackhawk helicopter lost control about 30 metres above the ground as it was preparing to land in the city of Jamiltepec, about 32 kilometres from the earthquake's epicenter.

"It is unfortunate that this happened," he told Televisa news Friday night. He added that it was fortunate that "there was no greater loss of human lives".

Mexicans reacted angrily to the crash, with some questioning why a helicopter would try to land in a darkened field.

She called the accident "an act of stupidity, of failed leadership and unforgivable irresponsibility".

The helicopter crashed onto several vehicles packed with survivors.Credit:AP

The accident was another embarrassment for Navarrete. Earlier this month, an intelligence agent from an agency overseen by the Interior Department was caught tailing an opposition presidential candidate.

Navarrete and Murat were evaluating damage from the earthquake before their helicopter crashed.

The US Geological Survey said the 7.2 magnitude quake struck near the town of Pinotepa in Oaxaca state about 5.30 pm Friday. A magnitude 5.9 aftershock also centered in Oaxaca struck about an hour later, and was followed by a series of aftershocks throughout the night.

While some homes and businesses near the quake's epicenter were damaged, there were no reports of deaths, officials said. About 320 kilometres away in Mexico City, where hundreds of thousands of people poured into the streets for safety after an earthquake early warning system alarm bell rang out, only minor damage was reported.

Many Mexicans are still traumatized from twin earthquakes that struck days apart in September, killing more than 400 people across south and central Mexico.